1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to re-usable, recyclable plastics material cartons.
2. Acknowledgement of Prior Art
Cartons such as cartons for glassware, e.g., bottles, jars, etc., have traditionally been made of paperboard, often corrugated paperboard. When the bottles or jars contain consumables, especially food or drink, hygiene, cleanliness in packaging have been a major consideration. Possibly for this reason, packaging food and drink has been largely in inexpensive, disposable cartons which need not be cleaned and re-used. Cartons which are used for returnable items, such as beer bottles are, however, subject to considerable extra stresses since they are often used by the consumer for storage and for return of the bottles. Paper, paperboard and waxed paper are examples of materials which have been used. They have, however, had some disadvantages when used for some purposes, e.g., extended storage in damp conditions.
Plastics materials are also widely used for packaging but not generally in this field. Plastics materials are used, for example, in fully flexible bags or envelopes, for wrapping sheet, for vacuum packed products, for a variety of freezer or microwave containers, for disposable flatware which is capable of limited re-use and as rigid molded containers such as carriers for soft drink bottles. Its use to replace paperboard for general carton use is notably absent. Possibly the closest use to this field is the use of foam plastics materials for food which must be kept hot.
Some of the reasons for this rather notable non-use of plastics materials are various perceived difficulties.
It is important that cartons which are intended for only one use and which, at first, are additionally used for storage and for return of returnable articles, should be inexpensive. Paperboard has remained consistently less expensive than any equivalent plastics material to give the same strength. Moreover, until relatively recently, printing onto plastics material has not been wholly satisfactory and, even now, it is necessary to take special precautions if printing on plastics material is to be hard wearing. Thus, plastics material have not been considered practicable for disposable carton use.
There are now strong pressures on packaging suppliers to be aware of environmental considerations. One specific consideration is to reduce the actual volume of disposable material, e.g., garbage. Another consideration is to make any necessary volume of such disposable material recyclable. At least these two considerations led the inventor to attempt to provide a re-usable, recyclable packaging carton which is environmentally friendly. In attempting to reduce a re-usable carton, the inventor was addressing the problem of actual volume of packaging material produced which must ultimately be disposed of. In addressing the question of a recyclable carton, the inventor was addressing the questions of disposal itself.
If a commonly available recycling technology is to be utilized, paperboard cartons are unsuitable for recycling due to the presence of glue, staples, was or other contaminants. Moreover, paperboard cartons are generally utilizable only once by the supplier even if they are utilized for secondary purposes by the consumer.
The present inventor addressed the use of secondary use by the supplier. He also particularly addressed the problem of secondary use by the consumer for storage purposes and, in this connection, appreciated that the flaps of the top of a carton which formed the lid and which are glued or stapled one to another by the supplier for transport of the contents require the use of glue or staples. Moreover, those flaps are now always of convenience to the consumer who may wish to store the articles in an open container for easy access. Frequently, such flaps are tucked down the sides of the container so that they do not obstruct the top for storage.